The Storyline Service. Worldbuilding, Plots, Characters & Internal Consistency!

Started by Vell, January 07, 2008, 07:03:48 pm

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Vell

Wow, that old post had some shitty grammar. Really doesn't provide a professional atmosphere to have misspellings and starting sentences with a lowercase letter. Anywho, I here am Vell, known around here as either Ulta, Vellus, Vellus Terennia, UltaFlame, or p much anything someone cares to nickname me. I used to be pretty much a celebrity at Chaos Project, but then I had a teenage flipout and got banned and then unbanned and then between inactivity and generally not posting, I'm more or less a factor of CP's history and not really involved in the process of game-making in the modern day.

Let's change that, shall we?

The Idea

Hello, dear reader, this thread here is designed to provide a service to the Chaos Project community. What sort of service am I providing, you ask, dear anonymous user? Simple! I am here to provide YOU (The anonymous user) with the service of storyline assistance! What does that mean? Well, it boils down to a few things. See, there's one thing many people who want to be game developers lack and that's the ability to structure their creativity. Writing is -hard- as any published novelist will tell you. It requires a lot of practice, a lot of sweat and so many hours of looking at what went wrong and trying to figure out how to fix it. And for the solo developer - as many people at CP are - there are a lot of other skills you need to be proficient at in order to successfully create your game, or have resources to shortcut on a few of those skills. You need art assets, code for scripting, eventing, mapping, editing of all of these, musical assets and... probably, a lot more. Even using RPG Maker you still need a wide variety of skills. A lot of the time people forget that these games are going to need to follow a plot and have character interaction.

Which is where I come in. I'm not going to write your game's plot for you. I'm not going to develop your world from the ground up. I'm not going to so much as write a single line of character dialogue. Put simply, I don't have the time for that. If I were going to do that, I'd write my own plot, develop my own world, write my own dialogue, and then probably practice the skills needed needed to make a game on my own. What I will do for you is help you do these things yourself. To that end, allow me to move on to a relatively unrelated point and rant for a bit about myself. No, trust me, dear anonymous user, I'm getting somewhere. Seriously, it'll help you in the end to understand the purpose of this place! Really! You willing to let me move on and talk about myself now? Yes? Good. You kept me waiting much longer and I was going to show you why I used to be called THE IT here at Chaos Project.

I am a writer. Not by trade, as it so happens (though I am working on a first draft for a novel) but I have spent more than a decade honing the art. Yes, that's right, writing is an art and I am an artist. Like any artist, I specialized and focused my effort into a particular aspect. Just as the cubist painter focuses on... well, cubist painting, I am a worldbuilder, which means my focus in writing is in building and developing worlds. I also am an experienced GM for forum roleplaying, as my... many and varied failed attempts at roleplaying at this very forum can attest. Utilising both skillsets has given me a unique ability that I have found makes me an excellent asset to other people. That ability is this: I am very good at taking a wide-range of points in terms of plot and characterisation and simple worldbuilding and bringing them together into a cohesive whole. My talent isn't simply in writing - it's in taking disparate elements and tying them together.

How can that help you? You don't already see it? My dear anonymous user, can't you open your eyes? I excel at asking questions. You tell me about your world, about what magic is to it, where it came from, who the actors on the stage are, where they go... you tell me about the villains, their motivations and their ideals and I... I will ask you why? Not only that, I will ask you everything. I won't tear it apart, I won't tell you it's wrong, but I'll help you expand upon it. And, sometimes, I'll have suggestions. Ideas. Themes you can incorporate. Most of the time, when I give someone a suggestion, they pause for a moment and tell me that it unexpectedly helped tie two elements together that they couldn't do themselves. This is what I can do for you. I can make plot point A illuminate aspect of the world B and together that can display why character C has goal D and the implications of that lead to new idea E and it all cascades down and past Z. I can take you into infinity, baby. You just gotta talk to me.

Your Part

Is actually simple and easy. You need to do one thing (and this is perhaps the most helpful part of what I do for you) before I can help you. Get everything into one document and then load it into a gun and fire it at my face so I can read it. Compile every fact about your world, from how many continents there are on down to what the most pathetic plebian thinks of his monarch. You give me a synopsis of your plot and don't leave out any spoilers because I need to know that shit to help you out. You tell me about each and every character you have, major and minor. If you have it, give me every piece of actual writing you've done, because it gives me further context.

I'll tell you why. Dearest, most close to my heart, anonymous user, I need this information to start asking questions. And I need it all given to me -before- I have questions. As I read, I will ask questions. And then, based on your answers, I'll give you more questions. And more. And then a few more. After you answer those, I'll read on again and then more questions. Why does this sound like I'm acting like a three year old? "Why is this? But why? But why? But why? But why? But why? But why?" Because... well, to know your story you have to be able to explain it to a three year old constantly asking why. Because that's how depth is added to your tale. You have to be able to live in your world to truly tell its story, you know.

So come on, anonymous user. Stop being invisible scum, send me that personal message, find me on skype, and give me that document. Tell me about what has burned your soul, the ideas that have threatened to cave your skull in, give me everything. And like the roaring fire, I will refine it. Purify it. I will put it through the ringer, push it to the limit and beyond and by the time I'm finished with you... you'll be ready to finish it all on your own. That is the service I offer you. My product isn't simple. It's not something you can just look at before you purchase it. It's not something you can test. I'm not offering you something easily obtained. Hell, my product isn't something I can sell, because you know what? I'm not selling you anything that came from my own efforts. I'm not giving you something of me, I'm not giving you anything but my own time. But I am providing you with something. It's something you already have, but it's something you might need my help to find. Because at the end of the day, my goal is your goal. I can't charge any money for this service because that would imply that the product of my service is mine. My stories, my worlds, my characters. And they're not. They won't be. That's why this is a free service.

Everything, every world I help you show, every character that we flesh out, every plot that springs fully formed from a villain's plotting machine, every tiny aspect that brings it all together... it'll come from you. It'll be your work. Your story to share with the world. Believe me, anonymous user, I'm not giving you anything that's mine. I'm giving you everything that's yours and at the end, that's why this service is here. It's here to help you believe in yourself, to find the kinks and holes and fill them in. That's why I'm here. Not so that I can make something for you. But so that I can help you find what you need to make something yourself. I'll be here, my anonymous user, so regardless of where in the process you find yourself stuck, just search me up and I'll make your dreams come true. By your own effort.

Lost_Hope


Vell

AWESOME!!!

this forum style is gonna take some getting used to.

Fantasist

Do you like ambient/electronic music? Then you should promote a talented artist! Help out here. (I'm serious. Just listen to his work at least!)


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Sally

yea it might, and u know what wired?

everyone who is posting is a mod... :P mostly...

Nortos

congrats on ur mods guys  ;) and gl with your service again

Vell

ever need help come here and we will (:

Sally


Pliio8

Hi, umm, people say that my story is complete crap as in, too confusing and it makes no sense. Can you help me?

Story: The time is 19XX, in a somewhat fuedal world. A long time ago, in wartime a women Named Arastovia created a book that held her ideaology, and with this she stopped the wars and caused 2 millinea of peace. But then a young boy who lived in the city St. Arastovia witnessed his girlfriend being killed and his life destroyed, whenever his home city was attacked.

Later he learns that Arastovia hid a message in her book, a spell of how to restore peace. The rebel's, what the antagonist are called, attack more cities before he reads this message in Arastovia's old home, and is quickly transported to Arastovia's time. When meeting her after stirring a whole lot of trouble, A warmster of a kingdom kills Arastovia and burns here not yet finished book, severly screwing up the future. The buy returns to his time only to learn that the Rebel's now have a plot to blow up his home continent. He infiltraits the base and stops the leader of the Rebel's, but soon after the continent gets blown up. He is only of 4 survivors. The credits roll and the game ends.

I hope that that was not to long.

Vell

umm... yeah, it needs work, its quite confusing, and yes, it doesnt make much sense... but this is as an overall, it seems like u could make the entire game take up a matter of thirty minutes, which isnt good.

ok I think i like the idea of his girlfriend dieing and his city being razed, thats good, however, your gonna need to come up with an explanation on how he got there, if its just reading the book that causes it, your gonna need to really make that scene incredible.

and it seems like his adventures in the past should be the main part, possibly him trying to find Arastovia, following clues and helping people in trouble, gaining a few allies along the way, making many enemies, after a while, he feels he is finally closing in on Arastovia, and right before that, a bunch of the guys he fought in thepast appear and try to kill him, the boys allies hold them off as he rushes into a building, where he believes Arastovia is currently, and meets her there, but then we hear an agonized death scream, and Arastovia and the boy turn around and see the Warmaster guy there, the boy lifts his sword, and fights the Warmaster, but is easily defeated, we then see a battle between Arastovia and the Warmaster, Arastovia is winning, but then the guys the boy fought in the past kill his allies, and charge into the room, knowing she is then outmatched, she uses the last part of her power to send the boy back to his hometime.

he is in the house from before, but the book is gone, and he knows he seriously messed up, he then hears of Rebel's plans to destroy his continent, he finds a runaway Lieutenant of theres, who leads the boy to there hideout, in a last ditch effort they rally the survivors of his hometown, and launch a final assault on the building, they break the enemy lines, but only the boy and the lieutenant survived.

the boys family had died long ago.

with cold resolve, they head into the building, and work there way through the enemy ranks, finding the leader of Rebel, whom battles you, and you lose, he then kills the lieutenant, causing the boy to go on a rampage, and a power from within erupts, a power, the boss notes, that is similar to Arastovia's, you then battle again and win.

a single whisper reaches the boys ear 'you have done well, but you are not finished yet with your mission' the boy then notices that the boss had pushed a button, initiating the sequence to annihalate his continent, stealing a zeppelin(or whatever is used to fly) he barely manages to escape and looks on as his continent sinks to the depths, shattered, broken, and uninhabitable.


and i was thinking... we make two different stories...

I mean, the Warlord fight is where it starts, its gonna be designed for the guys who play to not be able to win, but if they manage to... then an Alternate event happens, in which Arastovia survives, and you stay in the past, trained under Arastovia to go back to the future, to prevent Rebel's actions, and under her guidance, you decide to stay in the past indefinitely, however it is not allowed, and Arastovia sends you back to your time, however, with him, are his allies from the past, and together, they manage to defeat the Rebel Base, afterwards, the Boss shows up, and they battle, and are initially defeated, then they all show the power that the boy does in the original ending, and the boss guy shows a similar power, and the fight is more doable, but hard. ridiculously hard, should be extremely hard to win

if u do win, then the boss dies, and your village and allies manage to escape the exploding continent.

if u lose, you guys barely manage to escape yourselves, and the boss guy is still alive, however ur village is lost entirely.


it could use some more expansion, but atleast now we have an idea, thats more than a confusing pile of not understandable words.

Pliio8

I do have all of it and the game is planned to be 60 hours long, I just gave the jist of it. David, the protagonist, heads through a forest where his girfriend's, Ilane's, father planted a tree. An axeman cuts down the tree which severly po's Ilane, you batle him and win. He is the first boss.

After the razing, you head with a caravan to David's city, where the book is held in a teasury. You overhear the king talking about another attack, on his city. You sneak into the treasury and steal the book, then that city is attacked. You meet up with a fortune teller who says that the power within the book is gone, and must be restored. After wtnessing more attacks and restoring the power at three location, you go back in time.

Now in the past, your party will nickname this time perdiod dread. You go to multiple dungeons in order to get the ability to sail. After stirring up trouble you find arastovia's house. She is killed by the Warmaster of a kingdom. The warmaster sends you back through time to your home time where noone is seen. After finding survivors on your home continenet in Elegy, the third time period, you assault the rebel base. After destroying MaRYl, the computer Ai of the base, you sonfront Sigiel, the leader of the rebels. Before he dies he activates the bomb and you manage to escape with no time to spare. Roll credits.

Nortos

60hrs long seems bit unrealistic (especially if solo project) but gl if you have the dedication :)

Blizzard

You will need many huge maps. My maps are average 40x40, I have over 400 and about 10 hours of straight gameplay (without side quests).
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Quote from: Barney StinsonWhen I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

Pliio8

Quote from: Blizzard on January 13, 2008, 08:03:06 am
You will need many huge maps. My maps are average 40x40, I have over 400 and about 10 hours of straight gameplay (without side quests).


I've already made a game that had 353 maps, and had 30 hours of gameplay.

Blizzard

Check out Daygames and our games:

King of Booze 2      King of Booze: Never Ever
Drinking Game for Android      Never have I ever for Android
Drinking Game for iOS      Never have I ever for iOS


Quote from: winkioI do not speak to bricks, either as individuals or in wall form.

Quote from: Barney StinsonWhen I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

magic2345

Wait, wait, wait. 30 hrs?!?!  :o
Your maps must be really really huge and have many sidequests.....
"The world is not beautiful, therefore it is." -Kino's Journey

"Hm...What would uncle say?....
Life is like the clouds, it has two sides and a silverlining inbetween...Like a sandwich!! When life is hard, you take a bite out of the silverlining...."
-Zuko
_________________________________
Game I'm currently working on:
Terra Eternity
Story : 1%
Characters : 3%
Mapping : 1%
Graphics : 3%
Scripts : 20%

Vell

ah, well if u have everything planned, why you need to come here? so any particular aspectr you want some help on?

Pliio8

Quote from: UltaFlame on January 13, 2008, 11:24:39 am
ah, well if u have everything planned, why you need to come here? so any particular aspectr you want some help on?


People still say that the storyline is too confusing and thats why I came here in the first place.

Vell

it seems oddly short for a 60 hr game... however while short to me, atleast, it doesnt seem confusing... some parts dont make total sense, but as a whole I don't believe its confusing, ill reread it however.

Valcos

I was just wondering is this post still active? Or no? Because I was think of getting some help to see how my storyline is coming along.
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
-Oscar De La Hoya